Stoker conveyer



1932- E. A. TURNER 1,886,764

STOKER CONVEYER Filed March 5. 1930 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 8, 1932UNETED STATES PATENT oFsIcs-"f EDWIN ARCHER TURNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,ASSIGNOR. TO THE STANDLAR'D STOKER COMPANY, INCORPORATED, A CORPORATIONOF DELAWARE STOKER CONVEYER' Application filed March 5, 1930. Serial No.432,486.

This invention relates to stokers in which.

fuel is reduced to a suitable and desired size by the action of theconveyor screw and a crushing jaw, and more particularly to anadjustable crushing jaw.

In order to use ordinary run of mine coal which along with pulverizedparts usually contains lumps of considerable size, it is necessaryparticularly in a locomotive stoker that means be provided as a part ofthe stoking mechanism which will break the coal into lumps under apredetermined size. It is further desirable to regulate the size of thecoal delivered to the firebox as nearly as possible.

To this end the present invention has for an object the provision of anovel and practical means for adjusting the crusher to regulate themaximum size of the fuel delivered to the firebox as desired.

Another object of the invention is the provision of crushing means thatcan be simply and easily adjusted without disarranging or disturbing anypart of the stoking mechanism.

Other objects of my invention will appear from the following descriptiontaken in connection with accompanying drawing, wherem,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the locomotive tendershowing a portion of the conveying mechanism and the preferred form ofmy improved crushing mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the fuel crushing and feeding device on theline 22 of Fig. t;

Fig. 3 is a section View on the line of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section view on the line 44 of Fig. 1.

For the purpose of best illustrating one use of the invention it isshown and will be described as it is embodied in a stoker adapted p foruse with a locomotive and tender.

The'frame of the locomotive tender is represented at 10 and the floor ofthe tender at 11.

The floor is provided with a longitudinal opening 12 adapted for thedischarge of fuel municates at its forward end with the tender bowl 14which in turn is flexibly connected with a conveyer casing 15.. Disposedwithin the trough13'and casing 15 are fuel forwarding means, preferablyin the form of screws 16 and 17, flexibly connected as by a universaljoint 18. j

Removable cover sections 19 may he slid forward to permit the entry offuel into the trough 13 as the supply becomes depleted.

The forward end of the trough 13 is formed by a plate 20 having anopening 21 therethrough, which forms a restricted passageway with therearward portion of the tender bowl 14 through which coal is moved bythe conveyer screw. Fuel is discharged from the trough 13 through theopening 21 into the tender bowl 14. Extending forwardly from the upperpart of the plate 20 is a flange 22.

The plate 20 is provided with guides 23 for receiving the slidable'crusher plate 24. The main part of the crusher is disposed in the upperforward section of the trough adjacent the plate 20. This portion of thecrusher plate is formed with a lower recess or curvilinear opening 25which embraces the upper portion of the conveyer screw, and is providedon its rearward face with the rearwardly extending spurs or projections26.

The other part of the crusher plate is in the form of a heavy metal bandor strap '27 and extends forwardly from the lower portion of the mainpart of the crusher plate into the tender bowl 14. The band or strapportion of the crusher plate arches over the screw 16, its inner facebeing preferablyapproximately parallel with the axis thereof.

' A vertical threaded bolt 28 extends through an opening in the flange22 and an opening in the tender bowl top wall and is rigidly secured tothe band or strap'portion of the crusher plate. The crusher plate isheld in position by means of the lock nuts 29 and 30 and is supportedfrom the flange 22. The crusher plate may be raised or lowered toprovide the desired opening between the screw 16 and its crushingmembers, without disturbing any part of the stoking mechanism since theadjustments are made from without the stoker by means of the lock nuts29 and 30.

The lower wall portion 31 of the restricted passage in the tender bowl14 has a radius. of curvature slightly greater than the screw 16 and isconcentric therewith. The upper wall portion 32 of the restrictedpassage in the tender bowl 14.- has a greater radius of curvature thanthe screw 16 and provides the space 33 between the periphery of thescrew and the wall portion 32.

Goal of maximum size is delivered when the space 33 is at a maximum andthis is determined when the strap or band portion 27 of the crusherplate is raised so that it fits 'fflush againstthe wall portion 32 asshown in Fig.3. Goal of minimum size is delivered whenthe band portion27 is lowered so that its lower edges rest 'on the shelf portions 34,

decreasing the space-33 to a minimum.

'The importance and desirability of having an easily adjustable crusheropening is appa're'n't when-one considers the widely divergentcircumstances to which the stoclzer and itsre lated parts must'beadaptable. Stoker-s, "especially those' in locomotive service are usedwith combustion chambers of different sizes provided with gratesdiffering greatly in size, design and form. Some combustion chambe rsare provided with grates having small air openings adapted to burn smalllump or commi'nute'd fuel and carry a thin firebed, while'others' are:provided with comparatively large air openings adapted to burn lumpfuel :of :a sizeor sizesdependent upon the area of the gratejopeningsand whereon a comparaitivel-y thick firebed may be maintained. Handfiredlocomotives, which are generally provided with grates of the lattertype, are gradually being equipped with stokers, and with the use of anadjustable crusher, stokiers may-be installed necessitating no changesin the firebox or grate construction.

l heuse of an'adjustable crusheropening to :vary and control the size ofthe lump fuel fed to :the combustion chamber permits the use ofa moreor-less standard "form'of stolrer :equipment-adapted-to meet the widelydiversified forms of firebox and grate construction now prevalent.

. I claim:

'1. In a stoking device the combination of a trough communicating with arestricted 2. :Ina stoking device't-he combination of a fuel troughcommunicating at its forward end with a restricted passageway, a screwconveyer for advancing fuel therethrough having a floating forward end,a crushing device in said trough having its lower portion extendingforwardly into said restricted passageway arching over the floatingforward end of said screw conveyer, means for mounting said crushingdevice from the forward wall of said fuel trough and manually operatedmeans for adjusting said crushing device vertically to and from saidfuel advancing means.

3. In a stoking device the combination of a fuel trough, a plate formingthe forward end of said trough, an opening in said plate communicatingwith a passageway, a crushing device in said trough adjacent said plateand having its lower portion extending forwardly into said passageway,sa1d forwardly extending portion having a threaded stem extendingupwardly through the top of said passageway, a flange extendingforwardly from said plate having an opening adapted to receive saidthreaded stem, and manually adjustable means comprising lock nuts forsecuring the crusher in a predetermined poally operated means foradjustably securing the crusher in a predetermined position.

5. In a stoking device, the combination-of .a fuel trough communicatingwith a restrict- .ed passageway, a screw conveyer disposed thereinhaving a floating forward end, a

plate forming the forward end of said trough, an opening in said platecommunieating with said passageway, grooves disposed in the rearwardface of said plate adjacent the sides of said opening, a crusher memberlIl SiLld trough adapted to sllde in said grooves and having its lowerportion extending forwardly into said passageway, said forwardlyextending portion having a threaded stem extending upwardly through thetop of said passageway,

,a flange extending forwardly from said plate having an opening adaptedto receive said threaded stem, and ad ustable means comprising lock nutssecuring the crusher in a predetermined position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDWIN ARCHER TURNER.

